Miss Garnet's Angel
Vickers, SallyWhen Julia Garnet is touched by the spirit of the Archangel Raphael depicted in the paintings she discovers in a local Venetian church, her cautious life begins an unexpected transformation ..."like the shifting sea-light of Venice, nothing here is quite as it seems".
Comments from Groups
This novel was warmly received for both content and writing style. Our discussion was lively. Miss Garnet herself was sympathetically portrayed, and the novel very optomistic about the possibility of change. The character of Carlo also provoked quite strong reactions, though not sympathetic. Hamilton 029Our group had mixed feelings about this book. We enjoyed the setting of Venice and its beauty, however we found many aspects of the story very implausible... From an inauspicious start however, the character of Julia did improve, and we warmed to her as the story progressed. Pukeko 001
Enjoyed by all, particularly the evocation of Venice. Interesting to have an older, less attractive woman as the main character. Richmond 007
This book is so delicious! We all enjoyed it very much, and loved the evocative images of Venice and the exquisite language. We enjoyed the intertwining of themes of angels, love, and religious beliefs - and most of all, the awakening of Julia. Wellington 130
We loved this book. It was so much more than a travel book - more of a personal experience, and the development of her faith etc The ending was abrupt but we could understand why. A great read! Whangarei 003
This book really divided our group!! About half were enchanted - loving the main character, the setting, the 'extra' story, the descriptive language, and especially, the whole idea of a 'hierarchy of angels'. Others found it pretentious and contrived, and found the protagonist irritating. The discussion was unusually impassioned! Tauranga 014
We all enjoyed this story. Excellent historical facts interwoven with an intriguing plot. Miss Garnet was a pleasure to meet. Auckland 234
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